Nairobi's Ngara gas explosion leaves trail of destruction

An explosion at a gas station on Desai Road, Ngara, has left property worth thousands destroyed. [Emmanuel Kipchumba, Standard] Several traders and residents on Desai Road in Ngara, Nairobi were left counting losses following a Sunday morning gas explosion. The residents were awoken by loud bangs from the gas cylinders in the nearby depot at 5am. The fire is believed to have started at a hotel in the neighbourhood and quickly spread to nearby stalls that stored gas cylinders. "The explosion was so loud. It shook the walls. We did not know what was happening until we got out. It was terrifying," Brian Gitonga, a resident of the area, said. Gitonga said the properties had been razed down by the time the fire engines arrived. David Kamau, a barber whose shop was also burnt down, said the fire destroyed everything he had. "All my stuff in the shop was razed down because we are not far from the depot," he added. The actual value of the properties destroyed was yet to be established by the time of going to press but several shops, vehicles, and a Kenya Railways house were destroyed completely. Jael Amboko, one of the tenants of the houses razed, said she was woken up by the loud gas explosion behind the house. Amboko said she ran for safety without salvaging anything, and all her property in the house was burnt to ashes. "The gas exploded outside and the fire spread to my room. It was dark and I did not carry anything along. The fire razed down everything. I have worked hard to raise my children and cater for their fees as a single mother," Amboko said. While confirming the fire incident, Nairobi Regional Police commander Adamson Bungei said investigations were ongoing to determine the exact cause of the explosion. "We suspect the fire started from either the food kiosks near the station or some garages operating there. Experts are investigating the incident," said Bungei. Bungei said that the fire was contained and no casualties have been reported. "All of the people working here, and the residents, took off safely before the fire took a toll," Bungei said. This is the third time cases of gas explosion have been witnessed in the city despite pledges by both national and county governments to control gas businesses in some areas. In February, a truck carrying liquified petroleum (LPG) gas exploded in a parking lot at a refilling point in Embakasi. The incident resulted to the death of at least ten people and left more than 200 injured. In June, a lorry ferrying a tank of LPG burst into flames at Stage Mpya, in Pipeline, causing panic in the area, with no fatalities or injuries reported.

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